German artist Sis PS is a singer-songwriter with a stunning voice, as displayed in her latest release, Touch The Sun. It’s a piano-based ballad with a haunting sound, showing great promise for this musician’s future! I’m a big fan of the singer-songwriter genre and wanted to find out a little more – read on below to see how we got on!
By Jane Howkins
You released a single titled Touch The Sun. What can you tell us about the track?
Touch The Sun is an intimate, soothing piano/vocal track and well… no ordinary ballad about love. I wrote it about 8 years ago. At that time I found myself in a life situation, when I was just sick of mental and physical pain, longing for some kind of new freedom. Then one day I felt the sun on my skin and suddenly for a moment everything felt just fine. So I grabbed my guitar – this was the birth of Touch The Sun. I was sick of the gossip and backbiting by some people and I ended some relationships. In the mood to risk something new, I decided to leave it all behind and well, I began to live. Of course I burned myself again. But it was all worth it. The contrast of the warming sun and the risk to burn yourself turned into a main theme of the song. Touch The Sun is really kind of a special one for me. It’s like a reflection of myself. Every time I sing it, all I feel is freedom. I always knew that I had to record it. But I guess that I’m now at a point in my life when the time was right. I still feel every word, maybe even more now than ever before.
How has the reception to Touch The Sun been so far, and where can the song be purchased?
The response was overwhelming for me. I never would have expected that the song would be heard in over 60 countries. Touch The Sun is my 2nd solo single and it’s a very intimate song without a wide range of instruments. As a singer/songwriter, I’m all the more happier about the great feedback from so many new listeners. Getting on people’s playlists was really touching. Especially since the song and the message are so important to me.
You can listen to Touch The Sun on all popular streaming platforms such as Spotify, iTunes, Amazon, etc. There’s also a music video on my YouTube channel.
Do you plan to release any more singles in the near future?
Yes! I’m very excited to release my new single I Am Done, out on April 21st. So much can be revealed, I’m going back to my ‘rock roots’ a little bit.
But well, I’m not done with music at all. I’ve got a lot of projects planned for this year and certainly have some musical surprises coming up!
Do you plan to release an EP or an album anytime soon?
In 2023 I’ll only release singles. When I decided to make music solo, I started writing and producing songs for an album. So I’ve collected a lot of musical material over the last few years. However, l wanted to completely reinvent myself as an artist, I decided each song has to stand on its own and to deserve my full attention.
Your music belongs within the singer-songwriter category. What/who influences you most as an artist? What have you been listening to recently?
I’ve always been fascinated by female voices, musicians who offend. Regardless of a genre of music. Therefore as a singer/songwriter I don’t want to commit myself to any category when writing and producing new music. Women like Brandi Carlile, Pink, Anastacia, Alicia Keys, Alex Hepburn, Alanis Morrissette… that’s what I grew up with. Lately I’ve been listening to The Last International, Freya Ridings and Emeli Sandé. And sometimes I can reset my ears and mind from too much noise by listening to some house beats, mostly with a piano. I love that.
What is the writing and recording process like for you as a solo artist?
I’ve always written solo. Writing has always been a very intimate process for me, a kind of therapy to process things. Usually I pick up a feeling, grab my guitar and play whatever feels like it. Then I write the lyrics. There are also songs when the lyrics come first. Then it often arises from one of my poems. Whatever, once the melody and lyrics are set, pre-production begins in my studio. I develop instrumental harmonies and start with the vocal recordings. Well, there’s still a lot of pre-production work to do before the song goes to other musicians. But I just love this process. It’s where I can fully realise myself. That is something I’ve always dreamed of and what I have been working for to be able to do for many years.
What do you think is the biggest challenge in the music business at the moment?
Oh, there are so many. Well, I think it’s easier than ever to release music and at the same time, because of the crowd, it’s harder than ever to stand out. The curse and blessing every independent musician knows these days: streaming. An artist invests an awful lot of time and money for one single song. Unfortunately, only a very small amount, a few cents, goes to the musician.
Where are you based? How is the local music scene faring at the moment?
I am based in the middle of Germany near Marburg.
Of course it is still recovering from the effects of the last 3 years of the pandemic. Many bars have closed, funds are still missing. For independent artists and people with jobs around the business the situation is an absolute catastrophe. Especially for musicians playing their own songs (no cover songs), even before Covid, it was difficult to find ‘hearing’. But in the last 3 years a growing network of musicians has developed which supports each other. I hope it improves from here.
Do you have any tour dates lined up for the UK?
Unfortunately not… I’m a new mom. So this year I’m working on my song repertoire for when l am able to be on stage as soon as possible!
Any last words for the fans?
A HUGE THANK YOU to everyone who takes the time to listen to my music and who supports me – that means so much!! And thank you very much: Jane Howkins for having me on your blog!